Student Research Projects-2003:

 

Group

Project

Client

Final Report

Anthony Calamito

Andy Carson

Megan Lavelle

Minority Recruitment Initiative:  This project is an examination of the educational attainment of low-income and African-American residents, aimed at understanding barriers to higher education for low-income and minority students. 

Institute for Economic Transformation (IET)

 

Report (pdf)

Presentation (ppt)

Maps

Jon Harahush

Bill McLain

Kristen Wilson

This project involved an analysis of efforts to redevelop the old steel mill sites in Homestead, with the goal of providing lessons for other communities in the Mon Valley (including Duquesne, Turtle Creek and McKeesport) that are trying to redevelop old steel mill sites as well

Steel Valley Authority

Report (pdf)

Presentation (ppt)

Photos

Web-links

Sarah Bontrager

Josh Casher

Katie Greenleaf

Career Development Program Survey:  This project involves helping to develop, administer and analyze a survey of community-based providers of career development services in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area.  The goal of the project is to help improve targeting of employment resources to appropriate neighborhoods and communities

Workforce Connections

Report (pdf)

Becky Frier

Will Smith

Career-barriers in Science, Technology and Related Fields:  This project examines the access of high school students to career guidance in science and technology-related fields, with the goal of helping to improve access to information and opportunity in these fields for disadvantaged students in the region.

Institute for Economic Transformation (IET)

 

Report (partial) (pdf)

Presentation

                           

Student Comparison Statements:

Throughout the semester, students develop a 1-2 page statements that answers the following question: How does studying inequality and urban development in Durban help in understanding and addressing inequality and poverty in Pittsburgh?  Below is the fifth and final draft for each student in Spring 2003:

Bontrager, Sarah: “A Grain of Salt:  Comparing Race and Class Relations in Pittsburgh and Durban”

Calamito, Anthony: “A Tale of Two Cities:  What a Difference 100 Years Makes”

Carson, Andy:  “Pittsburgh and Durban:  Cities Somewhat Similar Yet So Far Apart”

Casher, Josh: “Pittsburgh & Durban:  Searching for Racial and Economic Answers Through Common Experience”

Greenleaf, Katie:  “Trial by Comparison:  Learning to Judge Pittsburgh by Learning to Understand Durban”

Harahush, Jon: “Two Major Flaws in the Pittsburgh/Durban Comparison”

Lavelle, Megan: “Latent and Manifest Racism:  Universal Results of Fragmentation Among African Ancestors”

McLain, Bill:  “Deciphering Inequality Through Reinforced Networks”

Smith, William:  “Learning from Durban:  Teaching Black Leadership in Pittsburgh”

            Wilson, Kristen:  “Physical Geography Affecting Inequality:  Race, Class and Topography”